Hydraulic press



L. MILLER.

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L. MILLER.

HYDRAULIC PRESS.

188884.888. Patented Dec. 11. 1888.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. L. MILLER.

HYDRAULIC PRESS.

Patented Dec. 11, 1888..

' WITNESSES.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS MILLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HYDRAULIC PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,383, dated December11, 1888.

Application filed August 9, 1888- Serial No. 282,317. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEWIs MILLER, a citizm of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inHydraulic Presses, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1represents a side elevation of my improved apparatus complete andconnected to a hydraulic cotton-press; Fig. 2, a plan view of the same,partly in section, the press and the engines not being shown; Fig. 3, atransverse sectional view on the line 0 (l of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a sectionon the line a b of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a sectional view of one of theautomatic pressurecontrollers adapted to disengage the sliding clutchesfrom the stationary clutch-wheels when the required pressure is attainedin the rams, also showing one of the automaticallyclosing check-valveslocated in the conduits between the rams and the press; Fig. 6, asection on line :10 00 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7, a detail view of thespring-catch secured to the automatic drop-valves. Fig. 8 is a detailview of a slight modification, hereinafter fully described.

This invention has relation to that class of hydraulic presses whereintwo rams are employed to force the pressing-liquid into the cylinders ofthe press, the two rams being adapted to operate successively, one (theprimary or low-pressing ram) imparting the light initial pressure to thebale and the other (the secondary or high-pressure ram) imparting thefinal heavy pressure, as will be fully hereinafter set forth.

The special object of this invention is to provide an improved system orapparatus for successively operating these hydraulic rams which will becon11i aratively economical in the consumption of fuel, efficient andvery rapid in operation, and which will be capable of exerting a verygreat pressure, as will be more fully hereinafter. stated.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A, Fig. 1, designates ahydraulic press of that character shown in my Letters Patent numbered367,220, and granted on the 26th day of J uly, 1887 Connected to theleader-pipes B of this press by means of conduits O C are the twohydraulic cylinders D D, these being supported upon and bolted tosuitable bedplates and foundations and provided with lateral perforatedarms or cars E. \Vorking in the ram-cylinders are the hollowreciprocating rams or plungers F F, the former being the primary orlow-pressure ram and the latter the secondary or high-pressure ram.Bolted or otherwise attached to the rear ends of these rams are therack-bars G G, provided with teeth on their upper faces andforwardly-inclined or beveled projections II II upon their rear ends, asshown in Fig. Q.

Mounted in standards or bearings I I and I I, bolted to suitablebed-plates, J, and foundations J in the rear of the rams, is a strongtransverse shaft, K. The standards I I are each connected to the lateralperforated ears E, formed on the ram-cylinders, by means of a verystrong connecting-rod, L, these rods passing through horizontalapertures in the ears and standards and securely held in place by thegibs or wedges a, passing vertically through the rods and ears E, andthe tightening nuts (1, tapped on the rear ends of the rods and adaptedto clamp the standards.

The rack-bars G G pass under the shaft K and rest upon anti-frictionrollers b, journaled in suitable ears upon the bed-plates J. Engagingwith the rack-bars and journaled loosely upon the shaft Kare the pinionsM M, provided with clutch-teeth upon their inner faces, theseclutch-teeth being adapted to engage at proper intervals with similarteeth upon sliding clutch-wheels N N upon the shaft. These latterclutch-wheels X N have a limited reciprocating movement upon the shaft Kbetween the inner bearings or standards, I I, and the pinions M M, andare caused to rotate with the shaft by means of feathers b, embedded inthe shaft, as clearly shown in Fig. Inserted in annular grooves in thesliding clutches N N are divided collars O 0, and pivotally connected tothese collars are the bifurcated ends of angle-levers P P, pivoted uponsuitable supports, 0. The collars 0 0 are clamped loosely in the groovesin the sliding clutches, so as to permit the latter to rotat-e freelywithout rotating the collars. The sliding clutches are also providedwith peripheral flanges or projections (I, for a purpose hereinafterstated.

Bolted or otherwise secured to and communicating with the interior ofthe conduits O O are the short vertical cylinders Q Q of thepressure-controllers, these cylinders being provided withvertically-working plungers or pistons R R, which normally rest at thebottom of the said cylinders. The rods of these plungers are pivotallyconnected to the weighted angle-levers S S',piv0tally supported uponstandards e upon the caps of the vertical cylinders Q Q. The shorterarms of the levers S S are connected, respectively, to the shorter armsof the angle-levers P P by connecting-rods T T or other suitable means.

The letters U U designate spring-catches provided with notches at theirupper ends to automatically receive and retain the longerarms of theangle-levers S S when they are elevated by the upward movement of theplungers R. WVhen it is desired to disengage these catches from thelevers in order to permit the plungers R to fall, the operator may dothis by hand directly, or by means of suit .able levers andconnecting-rods attached to the Springcatches, as shown by dotted linesin Fig. 7 p I J ournaled in suit-able standards, W, located to the rearof the shaft K, is the main driving-shaft .X, provided midway its lengthwith a pinion, Y, which engages with a large spurwheel, Z, rigidlysecured on the center of the said shaft K, and upon its ends with largespur-wheels A. Journaled in suitable standards or bearings located tothe rear of the main shaft X are the two independent driving-shafts, B,each of which is provided with a pinion, B, adapted to intermesh withthe spur-wheels A on the main shaft. Attached to and adapted to rotatethese driving-shafts are two independent high-speed steam-engines, 0',one of which is shown in Fig. 1. In this figure I have shown an ordinaryvertical reciprocating steam-engine; but it is evident that I may use arotary engine or any other pattern in lieu thereof.

In Fig. 5 one of the vertically working check-valves, D, is shown, thesevalves being placed in the conduits O C to automatically close when therams attain their maximum pressure. The lower stems of these valvesextend through suitable stuffing-boxes in the bottom of the conduits OC. By means of these projecting stems theoperator may raise the valvesto permit the pressing-liquid to run back into the ram-cylinders D Dafter each pressing operation.

A suitable amount of pressing-liquid havingbeen introduced into the ramsand con duits and the engines having been started, the operation of theapparatus is as follows: The motion of the drive-shafts of the enginewill be communicated to the shaft K through the medium of the pinionsand spur-wheels, and this shaft will be kept continuously revolvingwhether the rams be in operation or not, carrying with it the slidingclutch-wheels N N. After the bale is in place in the press and it isdesired to operate the low-pressure the Weight on the lever, and thismovement of the lever serves, through the medium of the connecting-rod,bifurcated lever P, and collar 0, to throw the rotating clutch-wheel Ninto engagement with the loose pinion M on the shaft K. As the shaft Krevolves, it now carries with it the loose pinion M, and this pinionserves to advance the rack-bar G and ram F. As the ram F advances, thefluid in the cylinder D is forced out through the conduits, past thecheck-valve, and into the cylinders of the press. As soon as the maximum pressure of this ram is attained (this maximum pressure beingregulated by means of the adjustable weights on the angle-lever S) thepiston R will be elevated by the fluid, and, through the medium of theconnecting rods and levers, disengage the sliding clutchwheel N, andthus stop the movement of the ram. The instant the forward movement ofthe ram is arrested, the check-valve D" in the conduit 0 willautomatically close upon its seat and cut the ram off from communicationwith the conduits leading to the press.

When the longer arm of the weighted 'anglelever S is elevated by thepistonR, it automatically engages the notch in the springcatch, and isthereby held in an elevated position, holding the clutch N out ofengagement. By disengaging the weighted lever S from its catch therotating pinion N will be thrown into engagement with the pinion M andthe secondary or high-pressure ram F operated to impart the finalpressure to the bail. WVhen the maximum pressure of this ram isattained, the forward movement of the plunger is arrested in the samemanner as the low-pressure ram, and the instant the plunger stops, thecheck-valve D in the conduit 0 will automatically close and prevent thebackward flow of theliquid into the ram-cylinder.

When the bale has been properly tied and bound, the operator will openthe check-valves D and permit the pressing liquid to run back into theram-cylinders and force the plungers or rams back to their originalposition.

In case the pressure-controller or shiftinglevers should becomedisarranged and fail to operate, to prevent injury to the apparatus Iprovide means for positively disengaging the sliding clutch-wheels N Nfrom the pinions M M. This is accomplished by the inclined or beveledlugs H H (formed or secured on the inner sides of the. rack-bars at ornear their rear ends) coming in contact with the flanges d on thesliding clutches. These lugs or projections only come into play when thepressure-controller fails to operate, and they serve to prevent the ramsfrom being forced against the heads of the ram-cylinders.

It is evident that I may bevel the flange on the clutch-wheel and formthe projections H H square, as shown in Fig. 8, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention in the least.

By this invention great power and speed may be attained and a greatsaving in steam and fuel effected. By this arrangement of gearing andengines the power will be equally distributed and each engine compelledto do one-half of the work, no matter which ram may be in operation.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the two ram-cylinders, each being provided withtwo integral arms at their rear ends, the rams working in thesecylinders, the rack-bars secured to the rear ends of these rams, thestandards I I, rods L, connecting these standards with the arms upon therear ends of the cylinders, a

shaft, K, journaled in the said standards I I, I

independent loose pinions upon this shaft adapted to engage the saidrack-bars, independent sliding clutches upon the said shaft K, adaptedto engage the said loose pinions, and means for independentlydisengaging the said sliding clutches when the maximum pressure of therams is obtained, substantially as described.

2. The combination of two ram-cylinders, rams .for these cylinders,rack-bars secured to these rams, a shaft journaled in bearings to therear of the rams, loose independent pinions upon this shaft, thesepinions engaging the said rack-bars, sliding rotating clutches adaptedto engage these loose pinions, conduits C C, communicating with theforward ends of the ram-cylinders and leading to a common conduit, B,independent check-valves in the said conduits C C, independent cylindersQ Q, communicating with these conduits, pistons working in thesecylinders, and suitable rods connecting the said pistons with thesliding clutches, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the ram-cylinders and rams, the cylinders Q Q,communicating with the ends of the said ram-cylinders, pistons workingin these cylinders Q Q, weighted and pivoted angle-levers S S attachedto the said plungers, check-valves in the conduits leading from theforward ends of the ram-cylinders, rack-bars attached to the said rains,a shaft provided with loose pinions for operating these rack-bars,sliding clutchwheels adapted to engage the said loose pinions, and rodsand levers connecting these sliding clutch-wheels with the said weightedlevers S S, whereby the sliding clutch-wheels will be automaticallydisengaged "when the maximum pressure of the rams is attained,substantially as herein set forth.

4. The combination of the rams and raincylinders, the rack-bars attachedto the rams, a shaft, K, and gearing for driving these rackbars, aspur-wheel, Z, secured on the said shaft K, a shaft, X, provided With acentral pinion, Y, adapted to engage and operate the spur-wheels Z,spur-wheels A, secured on the ends of the shaft X, and driving-pinionsengaging the said spur-wheels A, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of Witnesses.

LE\VIS MILLER.

Vitnesses:

D. M. JOHNSON, JOHN MINsHALL, LEwIs NUGENT.

